Muliple Receiver Aggregation (Mra) with Different Data Rates for Ieee 802.11N

Abstract

Method, frame definitions ( 300 400 500 700 800 1000 1200 1300 1400 ) and system for transmission of an aggregation of packets which includes a plurality of Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Units (MPDUs) or PLCP (Physical Layer Convergence Protocol) Protocol Data Units (PPDUs) intended for one or several receivers and transmitted at one or several different Physical (PHY) rates. In some aspects of the invention, a pre-amble, rsp. mid-amble ( 415. i 515. i 715. i 815. i 1015. i 1215. i 1315. i) is transmitted in-between each or between multiples of MPDUs or PPDUs allowing receiver devices to go into sleep mode and wake-up during the aggregate or packet burst. Furthermore, information is transmitted at the beginning of the aggregate/packet burst, which allows devices to deduce the position of MPDUs/PPDUs or multiples of MPDUs/PPDUs in the aggregate. MPDUs or PPDUs are grouped in order to enable efficient sleep times of the receiving devices. The receiving devices decode the information at the beginning of the aggregate/burst, fall into sleep-mode and wake up shortly before their packets have to be received.

1 . A method of aggregated transmission of a plurality of Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Units (MPDUs) ( 425 i), comprising the steps of: 
 aggregating said plurality of MPDUs into an aggregate/packet burst;    formatting the aggregate/packet burst by performing the substeps of:    a. including at least one of a pre-, rsp. mid-amble ( 415 .i) at least one of in-between an MPDU of said plurality and a group of multiple MPDUs of said plurality, and    b. at the beginning of the aggregate/packet burst, including information comprising data to allow the at least one receiver device to deduce the position of the at least one MPDU and the group of multiple MPDUs in the aggregate/packet burst;    transmitting the formatted aggregate/packet burst to one of at least one receiver device or group of receiver devices using at least one Physical (PHY) rate; and    at least one receiver device or at least one group of receiver devices going into sleep mode and waking-up during the aggregate/packet burst.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the substep of: 
 a. formatting said MPDUs  425 .i within a single PLCP (Physical Layer Convergence Protocol) Protocol Packet Data Unit (PPDU) ( 400 ).    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the substep of: 
 a. formatting said MPDUs within a plurality of PLCP (Physical Layer Convergence Protocol) Protocol Data Units (PPDUs) having at least one MPDU per PPDU ( 215 ) as a burst or aggregate of PPDUs.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the substep of: 
 a. formatting the information within a separate MPDU  425 . 1  before said plurality of MDPUs.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the substep of: 
 a. formatting the information within a Medium Access Control (MAC) header of the PPDU or a separate MPDU inside the PPDU.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the substep of: 
 a. formatting the information within a PHY header of the PPDU.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the substep of: 
 a. formatting part of said information within a PHY header and the remaining part of said information within one of a MAC header or a separate MPDU inside the PPDU.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the substep of: 
 a. including at least one bit ( 308 ) that identifies the PPDU as containing an aggregation of packets.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information further comprises, for each of the at least one receiver device or a group of receiver devices, at least: 
 an identifier of the at least one receiver device or group of receiver devices ( 402 .i. 1 );    a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) ( 402 .i. 2 ) of at least one of a particular MPDU or a group of MPDUs or PPDUs; and    a Length or Offset of at least a PPDU or a group of PPDUs ( 402 .i. 3 ).    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said information further comprises a Basic Service Set ID (BSSID).  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the identifier is a MAC address.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the information further comprises at least one of a plurality of MPDUs and a plurality of PPDUs for a same receiver.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the information further comprises at least one group selected from the group consisting of a plurality of MPDUs and a plurality of PPDUs, and further comprising the step of transmitting the at least one group at the same MCS.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the including substep a. further comprises the substep of: 
 a.1 including said pre-, rsp. mid-amble ( 415 .i) between a plurality of MPDUs ( 425 .i) that are intended for different receivers.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the including substep a. further comprises the substep of: 
 a.1 including said pre-, rsp. mid-ambles ( 715 .i) between a plurality of groups of MPDUs ( 756 ) that are transmitted at different MCS ( 702 .i. 1 ).    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the including substep a. further comprises the substep of: 
 a.1 including said pre-, rsp. mid-ambles and an interframe-space between a plurality of groups of MPDUs that are transmitted at different power levels.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of the at least one receiver of the aggregate sending a response frame after the receipt of the aggregate.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the sending step further comprises the step of the at least one receiver sending the response frame in an order that has been scheduled by a sender of the aggregate.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of the at least one receiver interrupting the aggregate/burst, and thereafter sending a response frame.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the step of formatting the PPDU to include: 
 one of a High Throughput Signal Field (HT-SIG) ( 304 ) and a separate PPDU having an MMRA ( 304 . 2 ) ( 405 ) part including a total length ( 401 ) of a following at least one tuple ( 402 .i. 1 - 3 ); and    at least one tuple ( 402 .i. 1 - 3 ) comprising the following aggregation information for each of a plurality of respective receiver devices:    i. an identifier of each respective receiver device ( 402 .i. 1 ),    ii. an MCS ( 402 .i. 2 ) at which at least one MPDU ( 425 .i) or group of MPDUs destined for each respective receiver device is transmitted, and    iii. a length or offset ( 402 .i. 3 ) of the at least one MPDU or group of MPDUs destined for the respective receiver device.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the step of formatting the PPDU to include: 
 one of a High Throughput Signal Field (HT-SIG) ( 304 ) and a separate PPDU having an MMRA ( 304 . 2 ) ( 505 ) part including a total length ( 501 ) of a following at least one tuple ( 502 .i. 1 - 4 ); and    at least one tuple ( 502 .i. 1 - 4 ) comprising the following aggregation information for each of a plurality of respective receiver devices:    i. an identifier of each respective receiver device ( 502 .i. 1 ),    ii. a number ( 502 .i. 2 ) of receivers consisting of at least one of an MPDU or a group of MPDUs destined for each respective receiver device,    iii. an MCS ( 502 .i. 3 ) at which the at least one MPDU or group of MPDUs destined for each respective receiver device is transmitted, and    iv. a length or offset ( 502 .i. 4 ) of the at least one MPDU or group of MPDUs destined for the respective receiver device.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the step of: 
 a. formatting the PPDU to include:    (1) one of a High Throughput Signal Field (HT-SIG) ( 304 ) and a separate PPDU having an MMRA ( 705 ) part comprising a total length ( 701 ) of a following at least one tuple ( 702 .i. 1 - 5 ); and    (2) at least one tuple ( 702 .i. 1 - 5 ) comprising the following aggregation information for one of at least one receiver device and at least one group comprising a plurality of receiver devices for which at least one MPDU is transmitted at a same MCS:    i. the MCS ( 702 .i. 1 ) for the at least one of the at least one receiver device and the at least one group of a plurality of receiver devices having the same MCS (MCS Aggregate),    ii. a length or offset ( 702 .i. 2 ) of the at least one MPDU having the same MCS,    iii. a number N ( 702 .i. 4 ) of receivers consisting of the at least one of the at least one receiver device and the at least one group of a plurality of receiver devices for which packets are transmitted at the respective MCS, and    iv. a list of N receiver addresses ( 702 .i. 4 -N) consisting of at least one of the address of the at least one receiver device and at least one group of a plurality of receiver devices for which packets are transmitted at the respective MCS.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the step of 
 a. formatting the PPDU to include:    (1) one of a High Throughput Signal Field (HT-SIG) ( 304 ) and a separate PPDU having an MMRA ( 805 ) part comprising a total length ( 801 ) of the following at least one tuple ( 802 .i. 1 -N); and    (2) at least one tuple ( 802 .i. 1 -N) comprising the following aggregation information for one of at least one receiver device and at least one group of a plurality of receiver devices for which at least one MPDU is transmitted at a same MCS:    i. the MCS ( 802 .i. 1 ) for the at least one receiver device and group of a plurality of receiver devices having the same MCS (MCS Aggregate),    ii. a number N ( 802 .i. 2 ) of receivers consisting of the at least one of the at least one receiver device and the at least one group of a plurality of receiver devices for which packets are transmitted at the respective MCS, and    iii. a list of N receiver addresses ( 802 .i. 3 -N) consisting of at least one of the address of the at least one receiver device and at least one group of a plurality of receiver devices for which packets are transmitted at the respective MCS, each entry comprising a receiver address and a length or offset of the at least one MPDUs intended for this receiver.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the step of: 
 a. including one of a High Throughput Signal Field (HT-SIG) ( 304 ) and a separate PPDU having an MMRA part ( 1005 ) comprising a total length ( 1001 ) of the following at least one tuple ( 1002 .i. 1 - 2 ) and comprising, for each group of a plurality of receiver devices (MCS aggregate) of MPDUs that are transmitted at a same MCS, a tuple including:    i. the MCS ( 1002 .i. 1 ) for the group of a plurality of receiver devices; and    ii. a length or offset ( 1002 .i. 2 ) of all MDPUs intended for the group.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the steps of: 
 a. including a Multiple Receiver Aggregation Descriptor (MRAD) ( 1008 . 1 ) as part of a first MAC header in the PPDU or as a separate MPDU in a data part of the PPDU.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the steps of: 
 a. including a Multiple Receiver Aggregation Descriptor (MRAD) ( 1208 . 1 ) as part of a first MAC header in the PPDU or as a separate MPDU in a data part of the PPDU; and    b. including aggregation information comprising a device identifier ( 1201 .i. 4 - . . . ) for each of a plurality of receiver devices having at least one receiver device thereof that transmits at a different modulation/coding scheme (MCS).    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the formatting step further comprising the steps of: 
 a. including a Multiple Receiver Aggregation Descriptor (MRAD) ( 1208 . 1 ) as a separate PPDU at the beginning of a burst/aggregate; and    b. including aggregation information comprising a device identifier ( 1201 .i. 4 - . . . ) for each of a plurality of respective receiver devices having at least one receiver device thereof that transmits at a different modulation/coding scheme (MCS).    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the step of: 
 a. including a part or all of said information in a Super-Multiple Receiver Aggregation Descriptor (MRAD) ( 1309 ) comprising one of its own MPDU and PPDU as part of the aggregate/burst, said information further including:    i. a number N of receivers ( 1309 . 1 );    ii. for each receiver, including- 
 (a) a device identifier ( 1309 . 2 . 1 -N), and  
 (b) one of the length and offset ( 1309 . 3 . 1 -N) of the MPDUs intended for the receiver.  
   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formatting step further comprises the step of: 
 a. including at least a part of said information in a Super-Multiple Receiver Aggregation Descriptor (MRAD) ( 1409 ) comprising one of its own MPDU and PPDU as part of the aggregate/burst, said information further including for each group of MPDUs or PPDUs transmitted at the same MCS, information selected from the group consisting of:    i. an MCS ( 1402 .i. 1 ) of the respective group of MDPUs or PPDUs;    ii. a number N of receivers within the group of MDPUs or PPDUs;    iii. for each of the receivers ( 1402 .i. 2 ) in the group of MDPUs or PPDUs: a device identifier and the length or offset of the MPDUs intended for the respective receiver.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the going into sleep mode step further comprises the step of the at least one receiver device or at least one group of receiver devices of the aggregate performing the steps of: 
 deducing the beginning of the plurality of MPDUs that are intended for the at least one receiver device or the at least one group of receiver devices from the included information; and    falling into sleep mode and waking up prior to the latest pre-, rsp. mid-amble that is transmitted before the beginning of the plurality of MPDUs that are intended for the at least one receiver device or the at least one group of receiver devices.    
   
   
       31 . A system for multi-rate aggregation of packets, comprising: 
 a plurality of nodes  112 ,  113 ,  114 ;    a device  115 ;    wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes is adapted for receiving a PPDU comprising an aggregation of multi-rate packets or a burst of multi-rate packets.    
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein one node  114  of the plurality of nodes  112 ,  113 ,  114  has a different PHY rate of transmission.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein a plurality of the plurality of nodes  112 ,  113 ,  114  are adapted for receiving the PPDU comprising an aggregation of packets or the burst of packets at different transmission rates  127 ,  128 ,  129 .  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein an arrangement of aggregated packets is grouped to provide a power savings for the plurality of nodes for transmission and receipt of the superframe.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprises devices ( 112   113   114 ) and an Access Point ( 115 ) operating under IEEE 802.11 that are adapted to send/receive a superframe or a burst of packets comprising a plurality of packets.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein: 
 a pre-, rsp. mid-amble is transmitted in-between each or between multiples of MPDUs allowing receiving devices to go into sleep mode and wake-up during the aggregate;    information is transmitted at the beginning of the aggregate, which allows devices to deduce the position of MPDUs or multiples of MPDUs in the aggregate.    
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein a receiver of the aggregate deduces the beginning of the MPDUs that are intended for it from said information in the aggregate, falls into sleep mode and wakes up prior to the latest pre-, rsp. mid-amble that is transmitted before the beginning of its MPDUs.  
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein pre-, rsp. mid-ambles are at least used to re-synchronize on physical layer and re-estimate the channel after waking up from sleep mode.  
   
   
       39 . A device that manages aggregated transmission of a plurality of Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Units (MPDUs) packets, comprising: 
 an antenna ( 157 ) for sending and receiving aggregate/packet burst transmissions;    a receiver ( 152 ) coupled to the antenna ( 157 ) to receive aggregate/packet bursts ( 1800 ) transmitted over a wireless medium ( 160 );    a transmitter ( 156 ) coupled to the antenna ( 157 ) to transmit aggregate/packet bursts ( 1800 ) over the wireless medium ( 160 ) to a receiver selected from the group consisting of at least one receiver or at least one group of a plurality of receivers using at least one physical (PHY) rate;    a PPDU processing module ( 154 ) to process sent and received aggregate/packet bursts ( 1800 ) to respectively position or deduce the position of the at least one of said plurality of MPDUs therein;    a processor ( 153 ) coupled to the receiver, transmitter, PPDU processing module to aggregate and disaggregate data respectively into and from aggregate/packet bursts including the at least one of said plurality of MPDUs that includes:    i. at least one of a pre-,rsp. mid-amble ( 415 .i) in-between groups of at least one of said plurality of MPDUs, and    ii. at the beginning of an aggregate/packet burst, information that allows at least one receiver or at least one group of receivers to deduce the position of the at least one of said plurality of MPDUs;    wherein, the at least one receiver or at least one group of receivers goes into sleep mode and wakes up during the aggregate/packet burst.    
   
   
       40 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein the PPDU processing module is further configured to format said MPDUs within a single PLCP (Physical Layer Convergence Protocol) Protocol Packet Data Unit (PPDU).  
   
   
       41 . The device of  claim 39 , wherein: 
 the PPDU processing module is further configured to format said MPDUs with a plurality of PLCP (Physical Layer Convergence Protocol) Protocol Packet Data Units (PPDUs) having at least one MPDU per PPDU as an aggregate/packet burst;    and the processing unit is further configured to address the aggregate/packet burst to one or several receivers and direct the transmitter  156  to transmit the aggregate/packet burst at one or several different Physical (PHY) rates.